The sounds of orchestral D&B are by all means, rather satiating. Beautiful violins sprinkled on top of big, beefy basslines. It is appealing, to say the very least. Miss Medik knows, and with her ever-expanding back-catalogue of deliciously deep tracks growing every day, her stamp on the sound is becoming more and more prominent.
After nesting herself firmly into the forever thriving west-country D&B scene, Miss Medik has spent the last few years really cementing her sound. The proof is in the pudding, and with her output being so incredibly consistent, her trajectory is unwavering.
The studio is a safe space for Miss Medik to hone her craft. After being diagnosed autistic in 2020, she knows what she needs and is committed to teaming up with people who align with her energetically. Protecting her peace comes first as she continues her mission in connecting with people who are in this game for the music, not just the party.
With her latest release ‘Memory Game’ – a wicked little stepper on Optivus Music, a label exclusively for disabled and neurodivergent artists only – incoming, we decided to dig a little deeper.
Tell us a bit about your journey into music.
I’ve always been musical because my mum is a singer and a piano teacher. She still is. She taught me from a very young age. My whole family is very musical, so I was classically trained, and then I went to college and did music there. I went away from music for a bit, but I’d always been into drum and bass. I found it when I was about 15 years old and it just made my life. It was so amazing. I started producing a few years ago, after I got sober and moved back home. I just found production and it’s just gone from there really.
That explains your orchestral drum & bass sound! Was that a conscious blend?
Yeah, absolutely. It just made sense to bring those two things about myself together. I’ve got the classical background and drum & bass was always the music that really moved me emotionally, so putting them together felt very natural.
Amazing! What do your family think of what you make?
They love it! My dad’s actually a vicar, and he sometimes plays my music at church. They’re really proud of it and they love it. They’ve even come to see me DJ in Bristol as well, which has been really nice.
Who – from that pocket of the scene – are your biggest inspirations production-wise?
Keeno is my number one inspiration. I’ve always found his music unbelievable. I’ve always found it amazing that he was bringing together the orchestral side and the electronic side, and that’s what really got me into the more niche orchestral drum & bass sound. I’m also a big fan of Pola & Bryson for their deeper sound. When I first started making drum & bass, my music was actually a bit more like that.
Let’s talk about your new release ‘Memory Game’ on Optivus Music!
I released a track last year on Optivus Music and really enjoyed working with Nick and the team. Then Nick got in touch saying that he’d heard ‘Memory Game’, which I actually self-released quite a few years ago. It was one of my first ever releases and it’s quite different to my usual stuff. It’s a bit more boppy!
Optivus Music is a record label specifically for disabled and neurodivergent artists. Which is an amazing initiative. What other changes would you like to see in the industry?
Awareness is the main thing. Drum & bass is maybe a little bit behind compared to the rest of the world. I’ve only recently felt comfortable talking about my autism diagnosis. Disabilities and being neurodivergent, you can be really misunderstood. There isn’t always enough knowledge or discussion around these topics. People can sometimes be offended if I don’t stick around socially, but it’s nothing to do with them. I just have a really small social battery. Having more understanding around different abilities and things like socialising would make people who are disabled or neurodivergent feel a lot more at ease.
Absolutely. What advice would you give to disabled or neurodivergent artists starting out in the music industry?
Don’t work with people who don’t make you feel good. I’ve worked with people in the past where nothing bad happened, but it just didn’t work for me and my needs. It doesn’t matter how good the opportunity looks or how well paid it is. It’s not worth putting yourself through something that doesn’t feel right. Protecting your peace is really important.
You’ve spoken about sobriety. How has that shaped your relationship with the scene?
When I moved back here, I got sober after some things happened in my life. Drum & bass was always about the music for me. Even when I was 16, I used to go to raves sober because I just loved the music so much. When I got back into the scene later on, I struggled for a while because a lot of people were there mainly for drugs or partying, which isn’t why I was there. Over time, especially through the liquid scene, I found more people who are there for the music first, and that’s been really important for me. I do drink occasionally now, but never at raves. I’m very careful with my boundaries and only drink in environments where I feel safe.
Do you have any advice for staying sober while still being involved in raves?
Go to raves with people who really support your sobriety and hype you up in the right way. Don’t take steps that feel too big. Go at your own pace. Being around people you trust makes a huge difference.
What’s next for Miss Medik?
I’m currently working on something bigger, either an EP or an album. I’m not completely sure yet. It’s going to be very grand and orchestral. I released an EP recently that leaned into that sound, but I want to go even bigger and really make it feel epic. It’s taking a long time because it’s very technical and I want it to sound like a real orchestra. I don’t know where it will land yet, but I’m excited about it.
I just just want to spend more time with people who are in it for the music and not just the party. That is really important to me. It’s something I’ve been searching for since I started. Being around people who are on the same wavelength, who care deeply about the music, and who understand where you’re coming from. It makes all the difference.
Follow Miss Medik: Spotify / Instagram
Buy/Stream Miss Medik ‘Memory Game’
